Binghamton University officials have stopped spring fraternity and sorority pledging due to an increasing number of hazing complaints, The New York Times reported. Dean of Students Lloyd Hoye said the university took action to protect the health and safety of students and prevent serious hazing incidents, despite objections that hazing at Binghamton is no worse than at other schools, according to The Times. Binghamton is one of many universities nationwide cracking down on hazing, The Times reported.
Approximately 200 administrators from some of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation considered obstacles they are facing and how they might overcome them at a conference held at Lafayette College last week, Inside Higher Ed reported. Issues discussed included the trend of fewer upper-class students attending liberal arts colleges, questions about the worth of a liberal arts degree, increasing college costs and changing views on technology. Administrators at many smaller institutions, some of which have already made operating changes in response to these concerns, suggested that others may benefit from learning how small colleges have adapted to similar circumstances, according to Inside Higher Ed. Administrators at such colleges also expressed greater anxiety about the future of the liberal arts sector and are more open to experimentation than those at elite colleges, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Virginia Military Institute is considering a controversial plan that will restrict students from pursuing popular majors in order to balance out faculty workloads and student academic interests, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. Approximately 83 percent of students have selected the seven most popular majors at the college. The unequal enrollment distribution has resulted in under-allocated resources for the more popular majors and excess resources for less popular ones, according to Deputy Superintendent Brig. Gen. R. Wane Schneiter. To achieve more equal distribution of majors, the plan would more directly consider academic interests during the admissions process, The Chronicle reported. Other institutions are also providing incentives for students to choose less popular majors. Cornell University has increased the number of classes necessary to compete some popular majors, added leniency in coursework required for less popular majors and increased the number of minors in more popular disciplines, according to The Chronicle.
